Iraqis warn of civil war if U.S. troops withdraw

[Neil D]

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraqi leaders warned on Monday that an early U.S. troop withdrawal could tip Iraq into all-out civil war after the New York Times said debate was growing in the White House over a gradual scaling-down of forces.

The stark comments followed a wave of bombings and shootings in Iraq at the weekend that killed 250 people.

"This could produce a civil war, partition of the country and a regional war. We might see the country collapse," Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari, a Kurd, told a news conference when asked about the New York Times report.

Citing administration officials and consultants, the Times said these officials feared the last pillars of political support among Senate Republicans for U.S. President George W. Bush's Iraq strategy were "collapsing around them".

It said debate was intensifying over whether Bush should try to prevent more Republican defections by announcing intentions for a gradual pull-out of troops from high-casualty areas.

More than 330 American soldiers were killed in Iraq during the April-June quarter, making it the deadliest three months for U.S. troops since the March 2003 U.S.-led invasion. Overall, 3,606 U.S. soldiers and tens of thousands of Iraqis have died.

Iraqi officials said the country's own security forces were not ready and warned a premature withdrawal of some of the 157,000 American troops could produce a security vacuum.

"We in Iraq believe, not just the government, but all political parties, that the presence of these forces is necessary to prevent increasing violence and to stop the country sliding into civil war," Sadiq al-Rikabi, a senior adviser to Shi'ite Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, told Reuters.

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[Dr. Shane]

According to the American liberals, Iraq has been in civil war for many months now so what would be the difference?

[Neil D]

According to the American liberals, Iraq has been in civil war for many months now so what would be the difference?

according to mainstream media, [ie, ABC, CBS, NBC and your FOX news] Iraq is in a Civil war...

And while I agree with you that Iraq is in a civil war, I am not sure what you mean by "the defference"...

What difference would it make in a civil war? Well, for one thing, our boys and women who are in harms way would be removed from that civil war. The inhabitants have not taken back thier own country and refuse to do so. They need to do it themselves. Second, the inhabitants don't want us there anyways so why stay?

Third, a civil war is an internal conflict, not a terrorism threat. If they develop into a terroristic coutry, then they have condemned themselves to a another war, one that would be more in keeping with the neo-conservatives-ie bomb them all, and let God sort out the righteous.

[Dr. Shane]

There is civil conflict in Iraq which is characterized as war however if and when the US pulls out the type of war that likely will break out will make what is happening now look like our civil rights struggle.

There is very good reason to believe that Iran and Syria are backing insurgents. If the US pulls out there will be at least to factions fighting each other that will be extremely well armed. One will be armed and supported by the US and the other by Iran and Syria. Perhaps those armed by Iran and Syria will be two difference factions making it a three-way fight. There is likely to be a lot of blood shed. The US will be blamed (rightly so in my opinion) which will make the US look even worse than it does now. The world will basically conclude that when the going got tough the US got out and left the place worse than when they arrived. A complete pull-out would be disastrous for world opinion of the US.

The 20% - 30% of the population that is sympathetic to the terrorists has paralyzed the 70% - 80% of the population that wants to live in peace. The only solution I see, and I am a humble spectator, is that diplomatic talks are made with Iran and Syria to cut off support for the insurgents.

No serious candidate for President is talking about complete withdrawal. Even wet-behind-the-ears Obama plans to leave a small number of US forces in Iraq if he is elected. Reasonable people know that a complete withdrawal spells disaster.

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our boys and women who are in harms way would be removed from that civil war.

Let's not be so gullible to think the terrorists are not coming after us once we leave.

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the inhabitants don't want us there anyways so why stay?

News I see has the democratically elected government begging us to stay.

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a civil war is an internal conflict, not a terrorism threat.

Al queda is recruiting terrorists from outside of Iraq to go there and fight in this "civil" conflict.

[Neil D]

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News I see has the democratically elected government begging us to stay.

Yes, the goverment wants us to stay, but the inhabitants want us to leave.

If the inhabitants want us to stay, they should be cooperating with the US to help stop the insurgancy, but they are not. And our forces can not be everywhere in Iraq...and afghanistan...and other places in the world.

[Dr. Shane]

Who elected the government?

Ahhhhh, it was the population but wait... Oh yes,,, that was done anonymously. Remember, the terrorists have the majority paralyzed with fear. Many are helping but most are afraid. Yet when they step into the anonymous voting booth they vote "America stay".

[Bravus]

It's a horrible situation either way, and there are no good ways forward, only bad and worse ones. (This was predicted by many of us before the invasion but it's too late to take it back.) There will be bloodshed whether the Americans stay or go, and basically it's about making an educated guess which will lead to less. (And perhaps listening to those whose predictions have proven correct so far, rather than those whose predictions have been disastrously wrong, might make a little sense.)